Work from home jobs

ST. LOUIS (KSDK) - Today we tackle the messy but truly rewarding realm of "work from home jobs."

Whether it's folks growing increasingly frustrated with commute times or increasing gas costs, there are many reasons a work-from-home job is appealing. The problem is that there are more fake jobs out there than real ones.

Before I flag two local companies where you may be able to find that opportunity, I want to point out the scams to avoid at all costs.

• That woman you see in the ad making $8,000 per week working from home is bogus. That does not exist. Rule out any opportunities like that.

• You cannot make $3 to $5 per envelope that you stuff. Legit companies have postage machines.

• Spending $150 on a starter kit is a bad way to start. You do not need to buy your own supplies from legit companies.

• Posting ads or spam does not guarantee you rapid cash and in most cases, companies only pay you a referral fee if someone responds to an ad you post.

• You should not have to pay any fees to apply or for training. At most, a $50 background check is reasonable for some companies.

• No company can guarantee employment. Anyone that says you'll be 100% accepted if you apply is a hoax.

• All of those "featured on TV" work-from-home ads and websites are generally bogus.

So, what is legit?

Sykes Home (formerly called Alpine Access) serves five Fortune 20 companies and they are one of the most trusted and well-regarded in the work-from-home industry.

Sykes Home (https://www.alpineaccess.com) is different and has its own requirements, which I'd make sure you're aware of before you apply. Those include specific requirements about having a physical telephone landline, Internet connections and functioning computer. Pay is usually somewhere between $9 and $12 per hour. Jobs are primarily call center-related, but there are also jobs for analysts as well as I.T. positions. AOL is just one of the many big companies that contracts through Sykes Home.

For a list of other jobs recently posted where you can work from home, CLICK HERE.

Please be aware of the ads on the far right versus the jobs in the middle column. I have not screened these jobs, please have your wits about you.

Please keep in mind that for most of the jobs posted above, wages will not be through the roof which is the case for most work from home jobs. And while there may be no price for convenience, the key is to keep yourself scam-free during your job search.